Guided Programs for Schools & Groups

Welcome to Gore Place!
Gore Place is a 50-acre country estate a grand mansion steeped in history, a working farm, and an invaluable community resource. It offers many unique opportunities to teach students about life in early 1800s America.

Gore Place requires advance scheduling of both guided and self-guided group visits. Our staff will be happy to work with you to design and schedule a program for your group. Scheduling is handled on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to program availability.

$10/student, minimum payment of $120. Payment is due two weeks prior to the program. Schools that require a purchase order should call for special arrangements.

Self-Guided Programs:

$5/child.

Chaperones:

Gore Place encourages adult chaperones based on a 1:5 ratio, and offers them free admission for group programs. Additional chaperones pay the general admission fee of $12.

Cancellations:

Please call or email us as soon as you know you can’t come. A full refund will be given for programs cancelled more than two weeks in advance. In the event of inclement weather, the Gore Place staff may be able to modify outdoor programs to take place indoors. Please note that this may result in a shorter program and we will work with you to reschedule if possible. Gore Place reserves the right to cancel any program due to unforeseen circumstances for a full refund.

Accessibility:

The second floor of the Mansion is not accessible to wheelchair users. Gore Place is committed to making our educational programs available to all. Please mention any accessibility questions or concerns when you reserve your program.

Get ready for a shape hunt inside the historic Gore Place mansion. Can you find the oval room, triangle windows, and square marble tiles? What about a diamond or star shape in the floors and furniture? Listen to stories about shapes and tour the museum.

Age: 3-4 years

Length: 1 hour

Availability: Year-round

Seeds & Planting

Can a carrot seed grow into an apple tree or a watermelon seed into a sunflower? Investigate a variety of seeds and discover how they are the same and different. Through stories, songs, and role-playing, explore what a plant needs to grow and the job of different plant parts. Afterward, head outside to plant seeds of your own!

Age: 3-4 years

Length: 1 hour

Availability: May-September

Discover Fall

If you were a squirrel, a chipmunk, or a groundhog, how would you prepare for winter? Would you store up nuts and berries or build someplace to keep you warm? Listen to stories in the mansion and use the Take-a-Walk bags to explore the grounds at Gore Place as you hunt for signs of fall.

Do you know that sheep have teeth on the bottom of their mouth, but not the top? How do sheep use their body parts and their five senses to meet their basic needs? Learn about the life cycle, basic anatomy, and behavior of sheep. Discover how a mother ewe cares for her lambs and why it is important that our farmer care for them, too! Watch how sheep stick together in a flock and how they behave when humans come close. Feel their soft wool and think of the ways we use it for clothing.

Grades: Pre-K–2

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Limited

Listening to the Past

Imagine living with no cars, no electricity, and no bathroom! Compare the life of Christopher and Rebecca Gore and their friends in the early 1800s to your life today.

Immerse yourself in the time period as you visit the mansion, carriage house and farm. Wear an elegant gown like Rebecca Gore and play with wooden toys that were popular in the 1800s.

Grades: Pre-K–2

Length: 1.5 hours

Availability: Year-round

Building Before Blueprints

How does the mansion at Gore Place, built in 1806, differ from your house? It has two front doors, seven chimneys, dozens of windows, a large oval room and lots more!

From the outside can you guess how many floors are in the house or where the kitchen and bathrooms are? With the aid of architectural plans, a hands-on model, and a tour of the mansion, discover the surprising architecture of Gore Place.

Farmer Scott needs your help deciding where to locate a new field! Investigate the soil characteristics in several locations and determine which type of soil is best for growing vegetables. Learn about erosion and discover what might happen to a field planted on a hill. Compare sample soil tests and understand the information they can provide about nutrients in the soil. Discover what makes soil come alive as you act out the role of a decomposer. Before you leave, make a recommendation to Farmer Scott based on what you have learned.

Grades: 3-5

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Limited

Wonders of Wool

Did you know that the wool in your winter hat and scarf comes from sheep? Wool is a

natural fiber that has been used by humans for centuries. Learn why we value wool for many of the same reasons that benefit the sheep. Through hands-on activities, observe the properties of wool and learn the techniques that alter the color, strength, and texture. Investigate how raw wool can change form as you card it into smooth strands and spin it into yarn. Make a wool craft before heading to the farm to visit the sheep!

Grades: 3-5

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Year-round

This Is Gore Place!

Get ready to immerse yourself in early 1800s life at Gore Place. Through varied aspects of the program, you can compare the different lifestyles of the upper class, the working class, and the farming communities — all of which co-existed at Gore Place. Analyze strange 19th-century household items and discover the grounds through a scavenger hunt.

Grades: 3-5

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Year-round

The Federal Period

The Gore Mansion and its fabulous collection can take you back to the Federal Period.

That’s what we call 1780-1820, the formative years of the brand-new United States. After a mansion tour, use visual thinking strategies to analyze a 19th-century painting and explore horse-drawn carriages to make connections to today’s modern vehicles. This field trip is complemented and enhanced by the pre- and post-visit activities in the Shaping a Nation curriculum packet, available from the Gore Place website.

Put on your walking shoes and join us for an outdoor tour of Gore Place. Learn about the history of farming in early New England, and contrast it to the modern farm operation today. Listen to stories of the landscape and imagine what it would have been like to visit the estate and farm 200 years ago, in the Gores’ time.

Explore the open spaces and hidden gems of our 50-acre country estate. Children and

their accompanying adults can rent activity backpacks and take a self-guided tour of the farm and grounds. Each backpack contains binoculars, a magnifying glass, and seasonal activities. Special backpack topics, such as Archaeology, Raised Garden Beds, and Architecture, are also available. Best suited for children ages 3-8.

Outdoor Adventure

Rent a box of activities and games for your group to use while exploring the trees, fields, brook, and farm at Gore Place. Build a shelter, have a relay race, identify trees on the property, and much more. Discover that an outdoor adventure can happen close to home! Best suited for children ages 7-10.

Zoom In

Follow the photo clues to locate eight places on the Gore Place grounds. It’s a fun way to explore the 50-acre estate!

Snowshoeing

Bundle up and enjoy the snow this winter! Snowshoes are available for preschoolers, children and adults to rent when the grounds are snow-covered between January 1 and March 31. One-hour rentals are $10 per person, $5 per child (under 16).

Shaping a Nation Curriculum Packet

This interdisciplinary curriculum packet is intended for teachers of grades 5-12. The materials focus on concepts and facts about life in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The projects and activities encourage students to expand their knowledge of the United States as an emerging nation by learning about the life and times of Christopher and Rebecca Gore, their family and contemporaries.

Programs begin in various locations at Gore Place. We will communicate specific arrival and parking instructions prior to your program. We offer ample free parking.

What should we wear?

Clothing for outdoor programs should be appropriate for the weather. We ask that teachers and students wear closed-toe shoes when visiting the farm. We also recommend bringing hats, sunscreen, bottled water, and insect repellent.

Can we bring food and drinks?

Your group is welcome to picnic on the Gore Place grounds, and food and beverages are allowed in a designated room of the museum. Let the Gore Place staff know ahead of time if you would like your visit to include a picnic or a snack break.

General Information for School & Group Visits

Contact:

Gore Place, 52 Gore St., Waltham, MA 02453

Visit: goreplace.org

Call: 781-894-2798

Fax: 781-894-5745

Office Hours: M–F 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Scheduling:

Gore Place requires advance scheduling of both guided and self-guided group visits. Our staff will be happy to work with you to design and schedule a program for your group. Scheduling is handled on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to program availability.

$10/student, minimum payment of $120. Payment is due two weeks prior to the program. Schools that require a purchase order should call for special arrangements.

Self-Guided Programs:

$5/child.

Chaperones:

Gore Place encourages adult chaperones based on a 1:5 ratio, and offers them free admission for group programs. Additional chaperones pay the general admission fee of $12.

Cancellations:

Please call or email us as soon as you know you can’t come. A full refund will be given for programs cancelled more than two weeks in advance. In the event of inclement weather, the Gore Place staff may be able to modify outdoor programs to take place indoors. Please note that this may result in a shorter program and we will work with you to reschedule if possible. Gore Place reserves the right to cancel any program due to unforeseen circumstances for a full refund.

Accessibility:

The second floor of the Mansion is not accessible to wheelchair users. Gore Place is committed to making our educational programs available to all. Please mention any accessibility questions or concerns when you reserve your program.

GUIDED PROGRAMS - PRESCHOOL

Shapes in the Mansion

Get ready for a shape hunt inside the historic Gore Place mansion. Can you find the oval room, triangle windows, and square marble tiles? What about a diamond or star shape in the floors and furniture? Listen to stories about shapes and tour the museum.

Age: 3-4 years

Length: 1 hour

Availability: Year-round

Seeds & Planting

Can a carrot seed grow into an apple tree or a watermelon seed into a sunflower? Investigate a variety of seeds and discover how they are the same and different. Through stories, songs, and role-playing, explore what a plant needs to grow and the job of different plant parts. Afterward, head outside to plant seeds of your own!

Age: 3-4 years

Length: 1 hour

Availability: May-September

Discover Fall

If you were a squirrel, a chipmunk, or a groundhog, how would you prepare for winter? Would you store up nuts and berries or build someplace to keep you warm? Listen to stories in the mansion and use the Take-a-Walk bags to explore the grounds at Gore Place as you hunt for signs of fall.

Age: 3-4 years

Length: 1 hour

Availability: October-November

GUIDED PROGRAMS - LOWER ELEMENTARY

Lambs, Ewes & Rams

Do you know that sheep have teeth on the bottom of their mouth, but not the top? How do sheep use their body parts and their five senses to meet their basic needs? Learn about the life cycle, basic anatomy, and behavior of sheep. Discover how a mother ewe cares for her lambs and why it is important that our farmer care for them, too! Watch how sheep stick together in a flock and how they behave when humans come close. Feel their soft wool and think of the ways we use it for clothing.

Grades: Pre-K–2

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Limited

Listening to the Past

Imagine living with no cars, no electricity, and no bathroom! Compare the life of Christopher and Rebecca Gore and their friends in the early 1800s to your life today.

Immerse yourself in the time period as you visit the mansion, carriage house and farm. Wear an elegant gown like Rebecca Gore and play with wooden toys that were popular in the 1800s.

Grades: Pre-K–2

Length: 1.5 hours

Availability: Year-round

Building Before Blueprints

How does the mansion at Gore Place, built in 1806, differ from your house? It has two front doors, seven chimneys, dozens of windows, a large oval room and lots more!

From the outside can you guess how many floors are in the house or where the kitchen and bathrooms are? With the aid of architectural plans, a hands-on model, and a tour of the mansion, discover the surprising architecture of Gore Place.

Grades: Pre-K–2

Length: 1.5 hours

Availability: Year-round

GUIDED PROGRAMS - UPPER ELEMENTARY

Science of Soil

Farmer Scott needs your help deciding where to locate a new field! Investigate the soil characteristics in several locations and determine which type of soil is best for growing vegetables. Learn about erosion and discover what might happen to a field planted on a hill. Compare sample soil tests and understand the information they can provide about nutrients in the soil. Discover what makes soil come alive as you act out the role of a decomposer. Before you leave, make a recommendation to Farmer Scott based on what you have learned.

Grades: 3-5

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Limited

Wonders of Wool

Did you know that the wool in your winter hat and scarf comes from sheep? Wool is a

natural fiber that has been used by humans for centuries. Learn why we value wool for many of the same reasons that benefit the sheep. Through hands-on activities, observe the properties of wool and learn the techniques that alter the color, strength, and texture. Investigate how raw wool can change form as you card it into smooth strands and spin it into yarn. Make a wool craft before heading to the farm to visit the sheep!

Grades: 3-5

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Year-round

This Is Gore Place!

Get ready to immerse yourself in early 1800s life at Gore Place. Through varied aspects of the program, you can compare the different lifestyles of the upper class, the working class, and the farming communities — all of which co-existed at Gore Place. Analyze strange 19th-century household items and discover the grounds through a scavenger hunt.

Grades: 3-5

Length: 2 hours

Availability: Year-round

The Federal Period

The Gore Mansion and its fabulous collection can take you back to the Federal Period.

That’s what we call 1780-1820, the formative years of the brand-new United States. After a mansion tour, use visual thinking strategies to analyze a 19th-century painting and explore horse-drawn carriages to make connections to today’s modern vehicles. This field trip is complemented and enhanced by the pre- and post-visit activities in the Shaping a Nation curriculum packet, available from the Gore Place website.

Grades: 5-6

Length: 1.5 hours

Availability: Year-round

GUIDED PROGRAMS - MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

Mansion Tour

What was life like on a large estate in the early 1800s? Find out here on the country

estate of Christopher and Rebecca Gore. Christopher was governor of Massachusetts;

Rebecca designed their beautiful mansion. Enjoy a guided tour of the home including

Put on your walking shoes and join us for an outdoor tour of Gore Place. Learn about the history of farming in early New England, and contrast it to the modern farm operation today. Listen to stories of the landscape and imagine what it would have been like to visit the estate and farm 200 years ago, in the Gores’ time.

Grades: 6-12

Length: 1 hour

Availability: Year-round

SELF-GUIDED PROGRAMS

Take-A-Walk Backpacks

Explore the open spaces and hidden gems of our 50-acre country estate. Children and

their accompanying adults can rent activity backpacks and take a self-guided tour of the farm and grounds. Each backpack contains binoculars, a magnifying glass, and seasonal activities. Special backpack topics, such as Archaeology, Raised Garden Beds, and Architecture, are also available. Best suited for children ages 3-8.

Outdoor Adventure

Rent a box of activities and games for your group to use while exploring the trees, fields, brook, and farm at Gore Place. Build a shelter, have a relay race, identify trees on the property, and much more. Discover that an outdoor adventure can happen close to home! Best suited for children ages 7-10.

Zoom In

Follow the photo clues to locate eight places on the Gore Place grounds. It’s a fun way to explore the 50-acre estate!

Snowshoeing

Bundle up and enjoy the snow this winter! Snowshoes are available for preschoolers, children and adults to rent when the grounds are snow-covered between January 1 and March 31. One-hour rentals are $10 per person, $5 per child (under 16).

Shaping a Nation Curriculum Packet

This interdisciplinary curriculum packet is intended for teachers of grades 5-12. The materials focus on concepts and facts about life in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The projects and activities encourage students to expand their knowledge of the United States as an emerging nation by learning about the life and times of Christopher and Rebecca Gore, their family and contemporaries.

FAQS

Programs begin in various locations at Gore Place. We will communicate specific arrival and parking instructions prior to your program. We offer ample free parking.

What should we wear?

Clothing for outdoor programs should be appropriate for the weather. We ask that teachers and students wear closed-toe shoes when visiting the farm. We also recommend bringing hats, sunscreen, bottled water, and insect repellent.

Can we bring food and drinks?

Your group is welcome to picnic on the Gore Place grounds, and food and beverages are allowed in a designated room of the museum. Let the Gore Place staff know ahead of time if you would like your visit to include a picnic or a snack break.

PROGRAM REGISTRATION

Please fill out the form below to contact us. We will respond to you by email as soon as we can. Thank you!

School/Group Information

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Program Request

Select Program

Age/Grade Level(s)

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Number of Adults

Preferred Date(s) of Visit

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All programs require a minimum payment of $120. Payment is due two weeks prior to the date of the program. We accept payment by check or credit card (Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Discover). We will contact you to confirm your reservation and then make arrangements for payment at that time.

Our daughter had such a great time at the farm. We are so thankful to have Gore Place as part of our community! – SV